Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-13
DAILY HERALD.
MICHAEL DAvITT.
The Coming winter Campaign
I'm Ireland.

The Coming winter Campaign
i'm Ireland.
DUBLIN, September IS. 1887.
The end of the Parliamentary ses-
sion brings us face to face with the
probabilities OF the coming winter
campaign here in Ireland. No one,
whether Nationalist, Coercionist,
tenant or landlord, can venture to
peer through the vista of the next
six months with light heart. We
are ON the eve OF one of the most
momentous periods in modern Irish
history, and the combatants of the
impending struggle are showing
themselves in words and acts to be
fully conscious Of the gravity of the
situation. The boastful defense,
which Chief Secretary Balfour has
made Of the Mitchellstown murders,
amounts to a virtual command to the
Royal Irish Constabulary to
SHOOT DOWN THE PEOPLE
whenever they resist the intrusion of
the police at a public meeting. The
indignation with which this atrocious
murder policy has been received is
not confined to this country. In
Great Britain it has occasioned a
widespread indignation, which is
certain to tell against Tory candidates
at the by-election, which will occur
before the re-assembling OF Parlia-
ment. Here in Ireland the threats Of
Mr.. Balfour have produced an effect
exactly the reverse to what he proba-
bly, anticipated. The attitude of the
people is becoming more defiant, and
every allusion to the "Tipperary
blackthorns, which "held the
Square" at Mitchellstown against
England's armed mercenaries, is
hailed with enthusiastic plaudits and
significant meaning at every public
meeting.
The manner of O'Brien's arrest and
the declaration of Balfour in Parlia'
ment that he would be treated while
in prison as common felon-as will,
also, every other Nationalist impris-
oned under the coercion act-shOws
that the Government intends to make
q war a outrance against the League
leaders. This, at least, is courageous
on the part of the coercionists. They
had at first intended to strike at local
branch officers, or country organizers,
in order to leave the more RESPONSE
BILE leaders under the imputation of
causing the punishment of others
while escaping from danger them
selves. William O'Brien has forced
their hand in this matter, and has
compelled the Castle to single him
out for trial. This is as it should be.
The leaders in the Land League revol-
ution have
ALWAYS CHALLENGED THE GOVERN
MENT
to deal with them directly for what
ever illegality could be chargeable to
their words or acts, and not to visit
upon the heads of suhordinates the
penalties which, if merited at all,
should fall upon the instigators OF
revolt against landlordism and Castle
rule. We know now what we are to
expect from the tender mercies of our
Government antagonists. But Balfour
will make an egregious mistake if he
imagines that he can shut up in his
prisons and degrade and punish his
League opponents with impunity. In
fair political fight it would be the
duty OF Irish leaders to caution our
people against any violent methods.
We have performed this duty often
when the action of the Government
was direct provocation to, and would
be Justification of, retaliation; and
in doing so we have incurred, more
than once, the imputation of pusillani-
nous conduct. But there is degree
of restraint beyond which the influ-
ence of the most popular or powerful
leader cannot go.
Naked acts OF tyranny have at all
times and in all countries, from
Brutus down to Brady, nerve1 the
hands OF patriotism or despair to strike
back with the weapon of revenge. 1t
should not surprise anyone, therefore,
if Balfour's brutal mode of political
warfare should become a matter of
reprisal. A leading London journal,
commenting upon this sanguinary
phase of the struggle now approach
ing, thus warns the Irish Secretary:
"Not Mr.. Forster when he had
crowded Irish jails with Irish patriots; ;
not Sir George Trevelyan, when Lord
Spencer was enforcing the coercion
act of 1882, ever stood in greater dan
ger of his life than Mr.. Balfour does
now when he thrusts his political
opponents into the felon's cell and
eulogizes the constables who massacre
peasants"
TIE MOONLIGHT AFFRAY AT LIsDooN-
VARNA,
County Glare, occurred at very for
tunate time for Mr.. Balfour. The
killing of Constable Whelehan has
been with the Government kind of
post fdcto justification of the murderous
acts of his comrades a hundred miles
away three days previously. This
may appear somewhat strange to
ideas of cause and effect,
but we have the peculiar advantage of
living under a strange Government,
and this circumstance explains to US
what may look Incredible at the other
side OF the Atlantic. There is good
reason to believe that the whole affair
was deliberately planned by the con-
stable who was killed, but, who, of
course, did not count upon SO tragic
an outcome of the enterprise for him
self. A spy in the employment of
Dublin Castle is credited by popular
report with having organized the
moonlighting raid on Sections house
Sexton being aland-grabbing tenant
who had betrayed the interest of his
class.
In conjunction with Whelehan this
secret emissary of the Castle laid a
trap for the unfortunate young men
who had foolishly placed themselves
in the hands of an enemy with the
result that five of the attacking party
walked into the hands of a number Of
I'm bushed police and were captured |
In the desperate efforts which some
IF the moonlighters made to escape |
Ehelehan was killed, and another
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